PIERRE, S.D.(KCCR)- Tuesday’s primary election saw many experienced lawmakers loss to candidates running for the first time.  A number of legislators in the last session were term limited out.  District 24 Representative and House Majority Leader Will Mortenson of Fort Pierre says the 2025 legislative session will have a lot of new blood learning the ropes of the Capitol.

Some have noted how lawmakers like Senators Jean Hunhoff and Erin Tobin and Representative J-D Wangsness who lost had supported Senate Bill 201, the so-called Landowner Bill of Rights.  Meanwhile candidates who opposed S-B 201 like Senator-elect Mark Lapka and Representative-elect Julie Auch won their races.  Mortenson believes legislative support remains for 201.

Voter turn-out statewide was only 17-percent, just shy of 101-thousand voters.

Mortenson and the rest of the District 24 delegation of Representative Mike Weisgram and Senator Jim Mehlhaff were not challenged in this week’s primary.